Connector with an improved guide portion for guiding connection the connector and an object to be connected thereto

ABSTRACT

In a connector having a principal surface ( 44   a ) to be faced to an object in a first direction (A 1 ) and a guide portion ( 45 ) protruding from the principal surface in the first direction for guiding connection of the connector and the object, the guide portion has elasticity so as to be elastically bent in a second direction (A 2 ) transverse to the first direction. It is preferable that the guide portion has a slit ( 51 ) to provide the elasticity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a connector having a guide portion forguiding connection of the connector and an object to be connectedthereto.

[0002] A connector of the type having a guide portion is disclosed, forexample, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications (JP-A) Nos.H07-335296 and H09-320684. In the connector, the guide portion is formedas a part integral with an insulator made of a hard material and holdinga contact.

[0003] For example, a mobile telephone is provided with a connector tobe used when a battery is charged. Typically, the contact used in theconnector is of a butt-contact type in which the contact and a matingcontact of a mating connector as an object are pressed against eachother in a predetermined direction. The insulator is provided with alock mechanism for stably holding the contact and the mating contact ina contacting state.

[0004] It is assumed as a particular case that the connector of theabove-mentioned structure is connected to the mating connector andthereafter disconnected therefrom without releasing the lock mechanism.In the particular case, an excessive force may be applied in a directionperpendicular to the predetermined direction, so that the insulator isdamaged, for example, cracked. This is because the insulator is poor inflexibility.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] It is therefore an object of this invention to provide aconnector having a structure which is not subject to damage.

[0006] According to this invention, there is provided a connector havinga principal surface to be faced to an object in a first direction and aguide portion protruding from the principal surface in the firstdirection for guiding connection of the connector and the object,wherein the guide portion has elasticity so as to be elastically bent ina second direction transverse to the first direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0007]FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a connector according toa related technique;

[0008]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the connectorillustrated in FIG. 1;

[0009]FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of a mating connector to beconnected to the connector illustrated in FIG. 1;

[0010]FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the mating connectorillustrated in FIG. 3;

[0011]FIG. 5 is a partially-sectional side view showing the connector inFIG. 1 and the mating connector in FIG. 3 in a disconnected state;

[0012]FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but in a connected state;

[0013]FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but when an external force isapplied to one of the connectors connected to each other;

[0014]FIG. 8 is an external perspective view of a connector according toone embodiment of this invention;

[0015]FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a characteristic part ofthe connector illustrated in FIG. 8;

[0016]FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the connectorillustrated in FIG. 8;

[0017]FIG. 11 is an external perspective view of a mating connector tobe connected to the connector illustrated in FIG. 8;

[0018]FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the mating connectorillustrated in FIG. 11;

[0019]FIG. 13 is a partially-sectional side view showing the connectorin FIG. 8 and the mating connector in FIG. 11 in a disconnected state;

[0020]FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 13 but in a connected state;

[0021]FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 14 but when an external force isapplied to the connector;

[0022]FIG. 16 is a perspective view for describing the use of theconnector in FIG. 8 and the mating connector in FIG. 11 in adisconnected state; and

[0023]FIG. 17 is a view similar to FIG. 16 but in a connected state.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0024] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 7, description will at first be madeof a related technique in order to facilitate an understanding of thisinvention.

[0025] A connector illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a plug connector 21comprising a plurality of electroconductive contacts 22, an insulator 23holding the contacts 22, and a hood 24 covering the insulator 23. Theinsulator 23 has a pair of guide portions 25 protruding from positionsnear to opposite ends thereof to be in parallel to each other. Each ofthe guide portions 25 is made of a heat-resistant hard material andformed as an integral part integral with the insulator 23. The guideportions 25 serve to guide coupling of the plug connector 21 and amating connector which will later be described. Each of the guideportions 25 is provided with a slide groove for receiving a locking claw27 connected to a lock mechanism operating portion 26.

[0026] The hood 24 comprises a pair of hood components 28 butted to eachother and fixed by a fixture such as a screw. The lock mechanismoperating portion 26 is movably held by the hood 24.

[0027] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the mating connector is a receptacleconnector 31 to be coupled and connected to the plug connector 21 inFIGS. 1 and 2 in a first direction. The receptacle connector 31comprises an insulator 32 and a plurality of electroconductive matingcontacts 33 held between opposite ends 32 a and 32 b of the insulator32.

[0028] The insulator 32 is provided with a pair of recessed portions 34formed at the opposite ends 32 a and 32 b for receiving the guideportions 25, respectively. To each of the recessed portions 34, a lockplate 35 is fixed. The lock plate 35 has a locking hole 36 to be engagedwith the locking claw 27 of the plug connector 21.

[0029] Referring to FIG. 5, the recessed portion 34 has an internaldimension H1 greater than an external dimension H2 of the guide portion25. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 6, a gap is formed between theinner surface of the recessed portion 34 and the outer surface of theguide portion 25 when the plug connector 21 is coupled to the matingconnector 31. Due to the presence of the gap, mutual contact between thecontacts 22 and the mating contacts 33 is unstable.

[0030] Since the guide portion 25 is made of the heat-resistant hardmaterial and formed as the integral part integral with the insulator 23,the guide portion 25 is poor in flexibility. Therefore, if the plugconnector 21 is subjected to an external force as depicted by a thickwhite arrow in FIG. 7, cracks may often be produced as depicted byreference numerals 37 and 38 in the figure.

[0031] Referring to FIGS. 8 through 15, description will now be made ofa connector according to one embodiment of this invention.

[0032] The connector illustrated in FIGS. 8 through 10 is a plugconnector 41 to be coupled and connected to a mating connector (whichwill later be described) in a first direction A1. The plug connector 41comprises a plurality of electroconductive contacts 42, an insulator 43holding the contacts 42, and a hood 44 covering the insulator 43. Eachof the contacts 42 is of a butt-contact type and has a part protrudingin the first direction A1 from the insulator 43 faced to the matingconnector.

[0033] The hood 44 has a principal surface 44 a to be faced to themating connector in the first direction A1. The hood 44 is provided witha pair of guide portions 45 protruding from the principal surface 44 ain the first direction A1 to guide connection of the plug connector 41and the mating connector. As will hereinafter be described, the guideportion 45 has elasticity so as to be elastically bendable in a seconddirection A2 perpendicular to the first direction A1.

[0034] The hood 44 comprises a pair of hood components 48 butted to eachother in the second direction A2 and fixed by a fixture such as a screw.Each of the guide portions 45 comprises a combination of a pair ofprotruding portions 49 integral with the hood components 48,respectively. The protruding portions 49 are faced to each other in thesecond direction A2. Each of the protruding portions 49 has elasticityto be elastically bendable in the second direction A2. Between theprotruding portions 49, a gap or a slit 51 is left to provide theelasticity.

[0035] The hood 44 has a hood center portion 44 b located at the centerin a third direction A3 perpendicular to the first and the seconddirections A1 and A2, and a pair of hood end portions 44 c located atopposite ends in the third direction A3. Between the hood center portion44 b and each of the hood end portions 44 c, a slit 44 d is formed. Theguide portion 45 protrudes from each of the hood end portions 44 c inthe first direction A1.

[0036] The plug connector 41 further comprises a lock mechanism 52 forlocking a connected state between the plug connector 41 and the matingconnector. The lock mechanism 52 comprises an operating portion 53formed on the hood 44 to be movable in the first direction A1, and alock spring 54 located between the protruding portions 49 andcooperating with the operating portion 53. The lock spring 54 has alocking claw 55 to be engaged with the mating connector in the firstdirection A1.

[0037] Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, the mating connector is areceptacle connector 61 to be coupled and connected to the plugconnector 41 in FIGS. 8 through 10 in the first direction A1. Thereceptacle connector 61 comprises an insulator 62 and a plurality ofelectroconductive mating contacts 63 held between opposite ends 62 a and62 b of the insulator 62.

[0038] The insulator 62 is provided with a pair of recessed portions 64formed at opposite ends 62 a and 62 b to receive the guide portions 45,respectively. To each of the recessed portions 64, a lock plate 65 isfixed. Each of the lock plates 65 has a locking hole 66 to be engagedwith the locking claw 54 of the plug connector 41.

[0039] As illustrated in FIG. 13, the recessed portion 64 has aninternal dimension H3 slightly smaller than an external dimension H4 ofthe guide portion 45. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 14, no gap isproduced between the inner surface of the recessed portion 64 and theouter surface of the guide portion 45 when the plug connector 41 iscoupled to the receptacle connector 61. Thus, it is possible to preventmutual contact between the contacts 42 and the mating contacts 63 frombeing unstable due to presence of a gap therebetween.

[0040] The guide portion 45 is rich in flexibility. Therefore, asillustrated in FIG. 15, the guide portion 45 is elastically bent if anexternal force is applied as depicted by a thick white arrow in thefigure to cause relative vibration between the plug connector 41 and thereceptacle connector 61. It is therefore possible to prevent occurrenceof local cracks.

[0041] Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, description will be made of anexample of use of the plug connector 41 and the receptacle connector 61.In the illustrated example, the receptacle connector 61 is assembledinto a terminal apparatus 71 such as a mobile telephone. On the otherhand, the plug connector 41 is connected to a cord 72. As illustrated inFIG. 17, when the plug connector 41 is connected to the receptacleconnector 61, the terminal apparatus 71 can be supplied with an electricsignal through the plug connector 41 and the receptacle connector 61.Even if external force is applied to the cord 72 in various directionsas depicted by thick white arrows in the figure, there is littlepossibility of causing the above-mentioned problems.

[0042] Furthermore, the plug connector 41 and the receptacle connector61 are connected to each other and locked by the lock mechanism 52without operating the operating portion 53. The operating portion 53 isoperated only when the plug connector 41 is disconnected from thereceptacle connector 61. Specifically, the locking claw 55 is engagedwith an edge of the locking hole 66 of the lock plate 65 with the lockspring 54 elastically deformed. Thus, a locked state is achieved.

[0043] In the foregoing, the connector comprising the contacts of thebutt-contact type is described. However, this invention is alsoapplicable to a connector including a plurality of contacts of adifferent type.

What is claimed is:
 1. A connector having a principal surface to befaced to an object in a first direction and a guide portion protrudingfrom said principal surface in said first direction for guidingconnection of said connector and said object, wherein said guide portionhas elasticity so as to be elastically bent in a second directiontransverse to said first direction.
 2. A connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said guide portion has a slit to provide the elasticity.
 3. Aconnector as claimed in claim 1 , said connector comprising anelectroconductive contact to be contacted to said object, an insulatorholding said contact, and a hood covering said insulator, said guideportion being formed as an integral part integral with said hood.
 4. Aconnector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said hood has a hood centerportion located at the center in a third direction perpendicular to saidfirst and said second directions, and a hood end portion located at anend in said third direction, said guide portion protruding from saidhood end portion in said first direction.
 5. A connector as claimed inclaim 4 , wherein said hood comprises a pair of hood components buttedto each other in said second direction, said guide portion comprising apair of protruding portions integral with said hood components,respectively, said protruding portions being faced to each other in saidsecond direction, each of said protruding portions having elasticity soas to be elastically bendable in said second direction.
 6. A connectoras claimed in claim 5 , further comprising a lock mechanism for lockinga connected state between said connector and said object, said lockmechanism having a locking claw located between said protruding portionsto be engaged with said object in said first direction.
 7. A connectoras claimed in claim 6 , wherein said lock mechanism further comprises amovable operating portion formed on said hood, said locking claw beingengaged with and disengaged from said object in cooperation with saidoperating portion.
 8. A connector as claimed in claim 5 , wherein a gapis left between said protruding portions.
 9. A mating connector as anobject to be connected to and disconnected from a connector claimed inclaim 8 , said mating connector comprising a mating insulator having aspace for receiving said guide portion, said space having an internaldimension smaller than an external dimension of said guide portion. 10.A mating connector as claimed in claim 9 , said mating connectorincluding a lock plate held by said mating insulator, said lock platehaving a locking portion faced to said space to be engaged with saidlocking claw.